1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a sound recording system and, more particularly, to one for use with an electronic still camera.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Recently, an electronic still camera has been developed which uses a solid state image pickup device such as a charge coupled device (CCD) and a small size magnetic recording medium such as a magnetic disc. Pictures picked up by this type of camera are stored in a magnetic recording medium in the form of video signals which will adapt themselves to a television system and, therefore, such pictures are suitable for display as still pictures on a cathode ray tube (CRT) or like soft copy display device or for production of hard copies by an ink jet printer or an electrophotographic recorder using a laser beam, for example.
In reproducing the images in soft copies or hard copies, one may desire to hear sound associated with the images which may be narration or music. Further, in shooting a scene, one may desire to record sound occurring therein and to reproduce it together with the picture during playback. These demands cannot be met, however, unless an effective method is utilized to overcome the dilemma created by the fact that sound has to be reproduced dynamically during playback with respect to time, while a picture is frozen to the instant of the shot.
Narration or music may be postrecorded in association with video signals. Concerning sound in a shooting situation, however, a problem exists in recording it in association with the shot. For instance, should a recording system of the device be triggered upon depression of a release button of the camera, only the sound produced after the shot could be recorded. Recording sound both before and after a shot will naturally enhance the presence during playback of the picture. Still, this is unachievable without holding the device in a constant recording state due to the fact that the time when the release button will be depressed is always uncertain. The constant recording state would not only consume the recording medium more than necessary but also require it to withstand troublesome editing in association with the shots.